Touch Me, And I Burn
by thefandomunicorn
Summary: Leo knows he has one last promise left to keep, and it's not going to be easy. Rated T for Mild violence and Language Leo x Calypso (formerly titled Keeping Promises)
1. Chapter 1

**Promises**

**Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Uncle Rick!**

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**Leo POV**

Gaea was gone. Not forever unfortunately, but I hear a certain devilishly handsome demigod *ahem* and his sidekicks sent her back into the Earth for quite a while. No need to thank me.

The gods had called us up to Olympus, delivered their usual half-assed thank you's and offered us their gifts. Percy and Annabeth got their parents blessings, finally, and the two were over the moon. Jason and Piper were visiting Camp Jupiter and Hazel and Frank were happy together too. Heck, even Nico was happier than usual. They upgraded my workshop and gave me the tools to fix Festus, but I would give that all back in a heartbeat.

Leo Valdez may be weak and clumsy and may always manage to ruin things, but he always keeps his promises.

The minute I left Ogygia I wanted to go running back; find a way to take her with me, appease the gods. I knew she loved me; that raft came for a reason, albeit a cruel one, and I couldn't deny that I loved her. I wanted to forget it all: the way her caramel hair seemed so perfectly tousled by the sea breeze, the way her nose scrunched up when she was annoyed with me, the way her presence made me feel like nothing could ever go wrong. I couldn't forget. I couldn't lie to myself like that. I couldn't but help imagine her alone on her island, tortured again and again, never finding the love she deserved. I knew that feeling far too well.

I needed to find her.

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Percy Jackson had been to Ogygia. He'd been there and that raft came him for him too. She loved him first. It's hard to get over that fact. Percy is perfect. Tall and handsome and brave and loyal, and it's not hard to see what girls find so attractive in him. He is ten times the man I'll ever be. I tried to banish the insecurities, but keeping them down was a struggle.

Percy and Annabeth were at the lakeshore, talking. They looked happy. When they noticed me walking towards them, they stood up, brushing the sand off their backs, blushing slightly.

"What's up Leo?" Percy nodded at me.

"I need to go back," I said quietly. I watched his eyebrows crease and his smile disappear. He and Annabeth glanced at each other.

"I-Leo, sometimes things happen for a good reason," Percy fumbled.

"I swore I'd go back Percy. I swore on the River Styx,"

"No man finds Ogygia twice..." Percy said apologetically.

"I'm sorry Leo," Annabeth put her hand consolingly on my arm

"You don't understand!" I shrugged her hand off. "You guys have had each other for years! All I've ever been is a third wheel. I lost my family, I've let down my friends, I can't let this go, I can't give up on her!" I collapsed onto the ground with my head in my hands. I could tell they were struggling with how to help me.

Annabeth and Percy whispered to each other for a moment, and then Percy knelt down and said,

"We may not be able to help you kiddo, but I think I know who can."'

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**Currently drafting Chapter 2!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Promises**

**Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Uncle Rick!**

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**Leo POV**

Hermes didn't exactly fit the description of your everyday all-powerful Olympian. He was dressed in gym shorts and a t-shirt, like a jogger. He was checking messages on his phone, barely acknowledging I was there.

"Um..excuse me...Mr. Lord Hermes Sir?" I asked tentatively.

He glanced up and rolled his eyes, "Hermes is fine." The wings on his sneakers flapped lazily. "I'm only here because I owe Jackson a favor, let's gets this over with quickly, okay?"

"I need your help...getting to Ogygia,"

He sighed,"You wouldn't be the first to want to meet her. Very pretty girl. Very nice. It's easy actually, just get injured, fall out of the sky, somethin like that. You'll end up on her island, she'll heal you and then when you're all done charming her, a raft will come to get you, and bam bucket list complete!"

"No," I said, "I need to go back."

Hermes raised his eyebrows, "It doesn't work that way kid. Ogygia is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Should've taken pictures when you had the chance." He shrugged, and put his phone into his pocket. "Well if that's all you have for me, I have places-"

"She's not some sort of sightseeing attraction! I _need_ to go back, and I know you can help me," I was losing my patience.

"Fine, fine," Hermes groaned. "There is a way," he thought for a moment, "But it's going to cost you." I nodded without hesitation. "I'll show you the way in return for any one favor. Anytime, anywhere"

I knew it was dangerous, but thoughts of her clouded my judgement, "Deal"

Hermes snapped his fingers and a piece of parchment paper appeared in his hands. He handed it to me, a map of sorts. It looked like a regular map, but with hundreds of lines connecting places around the world. "Ley lines. I use them to travel when these babies aren't fast enough," He said, gesturing to his shoes. "Usually demigods would burn into a crisp while using these, but something tells me you won't have a problem with that," he smirked.

"How do I use them though?" I asked. The lines looked like a bunch of vague scribbles. I'm sure the confusion showed on my face, because Hermes let out a laugh,

"You'll find out soon enough, don't you worry," he chuckled. I was about to ask for clarification, but his cellphone started buzzing and Hermes looked exasperated, "I've got a delivery to be making, you have fun with that," He nodded to the map.

I folded the paper up and put in my backpack, and looked up at Hermes, "I owe you one,"

"Don't you ever forget that, boy. Your payment will come," Hermes smiled, and regarded me closely. "This isn't going to be an easy task, Valdez. It will be a painful journey. Remind me why you want this so badly?"

"Because I always keep my promises."


	3. Chapter 3

**Promises**

**Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Uncle Rick!**

_Hey guys I know I'm keeping these chapters short, but that allows for more content, faster! Review!_

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**Calypso POV**

I was sitting on the beach, twisting little coils of bronze wire in my hands. Days were boring on Ogygia without company. I had made more t-shirts, much more practical then my dresses, and I had gone around collecting all of Leo's sketches and materials, keeping them somewhere safe. I didn't have the heart to get rid of them.

I knew he wasn't coming back. They always promise, but they never do. It's not their fault. They're heroes, with important jobs to do and beautiful girls to be with. That is my curse. I usually got over it pretty quickly, but for some reason, a part of me held on to the irrational hope that he would come back. I don't know why Leo was so special. Something about him was just so real. The island seemed so empty without his laugh and the constant noise of metal on metal coming from his makeshift forge.

When I first saw him, I hated him. I hated the noise and his smile. And most of all, I hated the fact that I liked him. and I hated the fact that I couldn't help it. Never before had I felt the effects of the curse like I did with him.

There wasn't a day that I didn't think of his time here. I didn't mean to kiss him. I shouldn't have done that. It only made things worse for me. He was probably happy now, with that pretty dark haired girl and their friends. He had probably forgotten me.

Yet hope remained. Every day started with the possibility that he would make his oath good, and yet every day that possibility dwindled with the sun. I couldn't forget.

I remember hundreds of years ago, before I was exiled, Zoe used to read me poetry. And still, I remember, my favorite one:

_Your kiss is laced with birdlime,_

_And your eyes, Timarion, with fire._

_Look at me, and I burn,_

_Touch me, and I am caught._

There was a crashing noise a couple hundred yards a way, and I was startled out of my thoughts. There was boy struggling to stand up in the sand, and eventually collapsed. I rolled my eyes. Here we go again. I wasn't going to fall in love with another one. Not with Leo still out there.

Nevertheless, I brushed the sand off my jeans and went to go see him.

He was tall, and blonde, and had passed out on the beach. A twisted scar ran down the right side of his face. Besides that, he was handsome, a bit like Hermes actually, but there was no hint of friendliness on his face, no impish smirk like Leo had. He jaw was set and his forehead wrinkled in a frown.

I reached my hand to touch his face, see if I could wake him. My fingers had rested on his stubbly cheek for just a moment when his eyes shot open he grasped my wrist in his hands. I struggled to get out of his grip, letting out a shriek that no one was around to hear. His eyes were so pale, devoid of color and emotion. His skin was cold and lifeless, his strength inhuman.

Suddenly, the colors around me swirled and I felt a strange floating sensation. My vision went black and a scream was ripped from my throat. Ogygia disappeared and was replaced by Hell.

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**Oh the suspense...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Touch Me, and I Burn**

**Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Uncle Rick!**

_Thanks for the reviews guys, appreciate it!_

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**Leo POV**

She was sitting in dark cell against the wall, on a cold stone floor, hands and feet shackled. Her healthy glow had disappeared, her skin nearly translucent. Her glossy ringlets were dull and ragged and her t-shirt covered in a layer of grime. And her eyes, her honey brown ones, once so full of joy, had hardened with pain.

I tried to move towards her but my feet were glued to the floor. I tried to call out her name, but no sound left my lips. She didn't even look at me.

The barred door swung open with a bang and her eyes flicked upwards. A man strode into the room, exuding an air of power. He was tall and muscular, cloaked in a dark shimmery material, his face hidden by a deep cowl.

He grabbed Calypso by her hair and dragged her to her feet. I clenched my fists in frustration at my inability to stop him. She didn't even wince, instead met his gaze with the thousand years of strength I forgot she had.

"What do you want from me?" she hissed, spitting in his face.

"You know exactly what we want," He growled. His voice was unidentifiable, raspy and cold.

Calypo lashed out, biting the arm that held her hair so hard it drew blood. The man flinched and backhanded her across the face, hard. I could see the faint imprint of his hand on his cheek. I bristled with anger but there was nothing I could do. Her eyes flashed with a dangerous anger.

"You will do as I ask." he threw her back on to the floor, with a force even she wasn't strong enough to resist.

Her lip was bleeding a bit, but she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, staring up at his terrifying form. "Never," she gasped. "I will never help you."

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I woke with a start.

My forehead was damp and the sheets were twisted around my legs. It was just a dream, right? A dream.

The clock on the wall of the Hespheastus Cabin showed it was nearly 4 am. I jumped out of bed, pushing the dream to the back of my mind. Percy was going to drop me off at Grand Central Station at 5, before the morning rush. According to the map, a ley line was in one of the abandoned subway paths.

After a quick shower, I dressed, making sure to secure my tool belt around my waist. I threw some food and water and a bunch of drachmas in my knapsack and left the cabin, slamming the door shut and waking up everyone up. Oops. I walked up to the Big House, ignoring the the annoyed cursing of my pissed off siblings, to where Percy and a drowsy Annabeth stood waiting.

"Ready to go?" Percy asked, yawning. I nodded, unsure.

"Don't worry, kiddo. You'll find her." Annabeth smiled reassuringly. She patted me on the back, kissed Percy on the cheek, and watched as we got into Argus's van. She waved and then turned around, stumbling sleepily back to her cabin.

Percy and I sat next to each other in tepid silence.

"Listen man,"

"Percy-I," we both started talking at the same time. "You go first," I said.

"Leo, I'm sorry. I asked the gods to free her and I never made sure they did. It's my fault that she's still there. And-I, I was on Ogygia once before, yes, but you know I love Annabeth more than anything right? Calypso...we never..I never...she'didn't.." Percy fumbled for the words.

"I get it Percy, don't worry about it. And hey, if they'd remembered, I'd have never met her, right?" I smiled at him. "By the way...have you ever had dreams before? Like scary ones?"

Percy groaned, "Ah gods, not again. What was it?" I described my dream to him, and with each sentence, his eyebrows furrowed a little further and his mouth set into a deep frown.

"It's not real...right? Just a dream?" The van came to a stop and the door slid open. Argus gestured out, his one hundred eyes blinking at me. Percy hustled me out the door.

"I...I don't know Leo. Go to Ogygia and find her if you can. Just...be careful," With those words, a worried Percy shut the door and the Delphi Strawberry Service van sped back into Manhattan traffic, leaving me alone on the first steps of a journey, more dangerous than I could imagine.


End file.
